By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian shares ease slightly as tariff deadline looms
- MSCI Asia ex-Japan -0.04%; Nikkei down 0.23%
- China says it wants to make a trade deal as soon as possible
- US official says Trump wants ‘movement’ from China to avoid tariffs
- China producer prices fall, consumer prices spike in Nov.
Oil Markets
- Oil prices slip again as spectre of trade war, demand concerns haunts market
- Brent down 0.2% at $64.14 a barrel (0204GMT)
- WTI down 0.1% at $58.95
Precious metals
- Gold steady ahead of Fed meet, awaits clarity on fresh US tariffs
- Spot gold down 0.1% at $1,461.05/oz. (0156GMT)
- US gold futures flat at $1,465.40/oz.
Grains
- Soybeans extend gains as Chinese purchases stir hopes of US-China deal
- Wheat futures down 0.1% at $5.22-1/4 per bushel (0156GMT)
- Corn futures up 0.1% at $3.76 per bushel
- Soy futures up 0.2% at $8.99-1/4 per bushel
- Rice futures up 0.1% at $12.47 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria’s Buhari & South Africa’s Ramaphosa head to Egypt for Aswan Summit (11-12 Dec)
- Eskom press conference by leader of South Africa’s DA
- South Africa manufacturing production Oct-19 [fcst. -5.8% yy, prev. -2.4%]
- 9th African, Carribean & Pacific Group of States (ACP) summit in Nairobi, Kenya; 9-10 Dec
- [Air] Routes Africa forum in Mombasa; 8-10 Dec
- Ethiopia’s Abiy in Oslo to receive Nobel Peace Prize
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
- South African Airways is in ‘business rescue’. What does that mean?
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan to meet Jan 13 over dam dispute, US says
- Libya’s NOC says Tatneft resumed exploring activities in Libya’s Ghadames basin
- Erdogan: Turkey and Libya can conduct joint explorations in eastern Med
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa vows ‘drastic’ steps to save state companies
- Qatar Airways to take 60% stake in new $1.3 bln Rwandan international airport
- Petra Diamonds halts South Africa mines after Eskom ups power cuts
- Africa Oil – Rising freight rates weigh
- South Africa’s rand weaker as power cuts weigh on sentiment
- Charity sues Kenya over treatment of trafficked Indian, Nepali women
- Jumia Technologies to suspend Jumia Foods delivery service in Rwanda
- South Africa’s Eskom ups power cuts to 6,000 MW as Medupi plant fails
- Algeria to cut oil output by 12,000 bpd under new OPEC deal
- Rights groups urge release of Nigerian ex-presidential candidate
- UN expert urges Ethiopia to stop internet shutdowns, revise hate speech law
- Zambia’s Victoria Falls shrink to a trickle, feeding climate change fears
- Egypt sells $1 bln in dollar-denominated t-bills – central bank
- Kenya – Nairobi governor pleads innocent to graft charges, bail ruling Wednesday
- As petrol prices rise, more Egyptians convert to dual-fuel vehicles
- Uganda shilling unchanged after rate decision
- Uganda central bank holds key lending rate at 9%, says GDP growth moderating
- South Africa’s state-owned Prasa placed under administration – minister
- Egypt considering 3 bond offerings during 2019-2020 FY – finmin
- Kenyan shilling firms against the dollar
- South Africa’s rand weak; focus on global cues ahead of US tariff deadline
- Tullow Oil CEO steps down; scraps dividends on Ghana problems
- Kenya police seal off court as Nairobi governor set to face draft charges
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
